I want to get my old kites replaced. I have a Xbow 9 and 12m2 from 2006 (1.gen) and a Contra 14m2 from 2007 (know its oldschool, but had a break from kiting for a few years...). I have been happy with these kites, especially with the good wind-range and hangtime. However I want a series that cover the high-end windrange as well (the Xbow 2012 goes only down to 9m2). I want less bar-pressure and I am tired of kiting with straight arms and bend back. Switchblades or Xbows? Maybe a combi - small switchblades and a large Xbow? Year 2011, 12 or 13?Appreciate advice

Nothing specifically wrong with Cabs, maybe not a lot of people have the 2013s to comment on them. People seem to like North, I know guys that swear by Best, I'm in the process of becoming partial to Epic. Stick around, someone has to have some 2013s out there somewhere. I hear that the Crossbow is nice in the 13.

If you don't like bar pressure, you should try some other brands. All the Cabrihnas I have tried have a lot of bar pressure (various years of Crossbows, Switchblades, and to a lesser extent Drifter). People who like Cabrinha like that heavy bar pressure.

The new Cabrinhas will be lighter on the bar than that 14m Contra. I had the '08 14m Contra and sold it after a month. The bar pressure was insane with those pulleys on the bar!

I want to get my old kites replaced. I have a Xbow 9 and 12m2 from 2006 (1.gen) and a Contra 14m2 from 2007 (know its oldschool, but had a break from kiting for a few years...). I have been happy with these kites, especially with the good wind-range and hangtime. However I want a series that cover the high-end windrange as well (the Xbow 2012 goes only down to 9m2). I want less bar-pressure and I am tired of kiting with straight arms and bend back. Switchblades or Xbows? Maybe a combi - small switchblades and a large Xbow? Year 2011, 12 or 13?Appreciate advice

Hi mate,

I was kiting Switchblades for 5 years until I swapped over to Epic kites (Screamer 9m and 10m LTD). I'm happy with their performance.Today I helped a friend to improve his kite skills. I kited his 11m 2012 SB upwind so he could go downwind again. If you want to stay with Cab kites and the high bar pressure is not an issue for you, that kite was pretty ok.But you might want to try a different kite and might be surprised (positively).I don't have any affiliation with the Epic brand.

If you don't like bar pressure, you should try some other brands. All the Cabrihnas I have tried have a lot of bar pressure (various years of Crossbows, Switchblades, and to a lesser extent Drifter). People who like Cabrinha like that heavy bar pressure.

Now that you mention it, my 16 Cab SB has insane bar pressure compared to my Epics. Fortunately it isn't affected much by gusts, so I still have intact shoulders.

As an added bonus, before I switched to the Epic harness, I had a Cab harness with that weird little flare on the end of the hook, and invariably when I sheeted in hard for a jump, the damned C-loop would slip off the side of the flared hook, leaving the whole loop on one side of the hook, and the dick on the other. Then the only thing holding me hooked in was the dick, and any little bump after that would leave me unexpectedly holding a fully powered unhooked bar. On a 16, when you are trying to hook back in, it's not so much that you pull the bar and loop down to the hook, it's more like hauling yourself out of the water in an awkward pull-up to hook back in.

I was kiting Switchblades for 5 years until I swapped over to Epic kites (Screamer 9m and 10m LTD). I'm happy with their performance.Today I helped a friend to improve his kite skills. I kited his 11m 2012 SB upwind so he could go downwind again. If you want to stay with Cab kites and the high bar pressure is not an issue for you, that kite was pretty ok.But you might want to try a different kite and might be surprised (positively).I don't have any affiliation with the Epic brand.

Aah, another Epic flyer. I love my Screamer 12, and I have a 14 on the way. Like the boost on the Screamers?

I'll help answer your question directly. First off...with the kites you are coming off of, any of the newer Cabrinha kites will be a huge relief on the bar pressure. Second, if you want the best value and bang for your buck, I would to with the SB (switchblade) IDS in either 2012 or 2013. The CB (crossbow) IDS is a great kite also, but more expensive and a little less versatile overall in my opinion. The Cabrinha kites are extremely well built and have one of the better safety systems.

Regarding the 2012 or 2013 Sb IDS, the 2013 has 3 main differences. It's faster turning, has lighter bar pressure (not a big difference though) and has less low end, but a little more high end. The 2013 bar also has a better reride system for the safety release.

If you want to save a little, there's some great deals right now on 2012 SB IDS's including from me, but if you have a really good local dealer, I'm sure they'd appreciate the business.

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